Let’s rewind to January—the heat of the NFL playoffs. The stage was set for a clash between two superstar quarterbacks: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. But it wasn’t just a QB battle. The whole Ravens team came in fired up, especially linebacker Roquan Smith, who joined Baltimore in 2023 following their playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs. But by the end of it?
Two minutes left, the Ravens trailing by a field goal in the AFC Divisional round. On the sideline, Smith stood frozen—not from the cold, but from the sting of déjà vu. Another season, another heartbreak. Eight tackles and a 25-27 gut-punch loss later, Smith walked off the field with clenched fists and unfinished business. That business now has a date. And Josh Allen is at the top of the ledger.
The 2025 NFL schedule is out, and the league wasted no time fueling the fire. Week 1? Ravens vs. Bills at Highmark Stadium, under the lights on Sunday Night Football, September 7 at 8:20 PM ET. For Baltimore, it’s not just another game—it’s a shot at redemption. And Roquan Smith isn’t keeping his feelings quiet.
In a pointed message to Josh Allen and company, he told NFL Media: “Yeah, just how I like it. Revenge is best served as a cold dish, you know. So, it will be nice to get up to Buffalo and get a little payback for those guys from the end of the year.” Those are fighting words—and they set the tone for Week 1. When there’s history on the line, players show up with extra fire.
Ravens LB Roquan Smith is licking his chops for Week 1 vs Bills:
“Yeah, just how I like it. Revenge is best served as a cold dish. it will be nice to get up to Buffalo and get a little payback.” pic.twitter.com/q2Ssp5zxbr
— Ravens Nation 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LIVERavenNation) May 18, 2025
Adding fuel to the fire, Josh Allen was named the 2024 NFL MVP—a decision that stirred controversy. Many believed Lamar Jackson deserved the honor, but voters leaned on the fact that Jackson had already won it twice. The snub? It’s only added to Baltimore’s motivation.
Smith doubled down: “So, just knowing that we have everything it takes to be the best team in the NFL. You have to show that game in and game out, and it’s going to start up there in Buffalo.” But Roquan’s revenge list doesn’t end with the Bills. His sights are also locked on Week 8: Ravens vs. Bears.
Roquan Smith wants to show his worth
The Bears drafted Smith in 2018 with the eighth overall pick. He lived up to the billing—69 games (67 starts), 607 tackles (400 solo), 16.5 sacks, 20 passes defended, and 7 interceptions in four and a half seasons. In 2021, he posted a career-high 163 tackles. But despite that production, Chicago let him walk—trading him in 2022 for AJ Klein, a second-round pick, and a fifth-rounder.
Credits: Social Media
He hasn’t forgotten. “It’s going to be one that I’m looking forward to for a little while now,” Smith said with a smirk. “I’m very excited about it, so whenever and wherever we play them, I’m very excited about that one.”
The Ravens have four primetime games in 2025, and Roquan Smith—now the first player in franchise history to wear No. 0—is locked in. His sights are set not just on personal revenge, but on a Super Bowl run. To get there? He knows they’ll have to go through names like Josh Allen. And he’s ready.
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